Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ellen Crivellone. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Ellen thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?

Being in the wedding industry, I see trends change every year. One of the biggest trends this year is that couples are creating a more personal experience. Everything is personalized, the music, the favors, the experience for their guests.

Ellen, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My husband has been a DJ since he was 18. I married him 9 years ago. At that time, I was a seamstress. He was a member of the Smoky Mountain Wedding Association, and I started going to meetings with him and became more involved. I ended up becoming the Administrative Assistant. My husband and I worked very hard to grow our business and grow the Smoky Mountain Wedding Association. I became a DJ in growing our business and I love it! I love weddings and being part of the fun for couples and their guests.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

When I met my husband 11 years ago, we both worked regular full-time jobs. Three months after we got married, we decided that we needed to pull the trigger and get him into our business full-time at first. We had regular accounts at a couple of venues and knew to grow more, we would need to go full-time in our business. the week after my husband quit his regular job, a fire burned down the main venue we worked at. All of a sudden, we were questioning our decision to go full-time. Most of the brides rescheduled elsewhere or eloped instead of having the full reception. We had to refund almost half of the brides for services that were canceled due to the fire. We continued with the goal of being a full-time full-service DJ company. Two years later, we became one of the top DJ companies in the Smoky Mountain area. I started DJing and kept my part-time job with the Smoky Mountain Wedding Association because it was relevant to our business.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I think the biggest thing that helped us build our reputation was our persistence and wanting to grow. We also knew to stay in the game, we needed to continue learning. We also knew that we needed to be a part of the community. We joined the Chamber of Commerce of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville. We also joined the local hospitality associations and stayed a part of the wedding association. We gave back to our community as well. When you are a part of the community and its organizations, it shows that you are there to stay and that you care. When you care enough to keep learning to stay relevant, and be a part of your community, your business will grow.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://smokeymountainsounds.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smokeymtnsounds/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SmokeyMountainSounds
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFA0-iYDrTNjIqOHbdbQM_w
• Other: Smoky Mountain Wedding Association: https://smwba.com/

Image Credits
Win Dixie Photography and Derek Halkett Photography and ST Photography